Presidential Palace, Bucharest, RO

Presidential Palace, Bucharest, RO

Sunday morning, the sun shines, it’s a new day.

On our last visit to downtown Bucharest we just walked the Historic area and were not impressed by the beauty of that section but we saw the Presidential Palace from afar. We decided, since this is the main attraction of Bucharest, to give the Palace a chance and explore it some more.

Again we took the local bus and were let off within a long walk from the Palace.

The Grand Entrance With Avenue 

It being Sunday, there were lots of people just walking, just enjoying the summer day. 

By just looking around us we got the general idea of Communist thinking, the time when they built this complex, and we saw a lot as we walked toward the massive Palace building. It was an experience to see the former grand vision, the illusion of grandeur really, but it also was a bit scary. The whole complex was huge.

What was even scarier was the condition of most of the buildings.

Mixed Use Buildings, Offices And Residential

Yes, we wanted to see the Presidential Palace, but surrounding this complex are also all the ministries and government buildings that give the whole an even more massive appearance. And most were outdated and in not tip top shape.

When we walked towards the front of the Presidential Palace it became obvious very quickly that there was something going on. People streamed toward the site, walking alongside us over the very wide, tree shaded avenue. Masses collected there and we could hear loudspeakers, noise and saw flags waving in the wind.

Tourist Entrance To The Palace

The city had a car race (kind of like formula 1 car) in the square in front of the palace. The square was roped off with lanes, a huge fence surrounding all and police and security were in abundance. There was an admission charge. Carol and I are not racing buffs, so we tried to walk around this mayhem but it was not easy. We learned, facing the front of the Palace, the tourist entrance is on the right side of the complex.

We finally succeeded with lots of questions and people pointing us in the right direction and lots of walking around obstacles. We did find the entrance to the tour one can take to see the inside of this place.

Naturally, there was a line up. I noticed people taking out their passports and I found that a bit odd. So while I stood in line, Carol asked why those people needed a passport. Well, she was told we needed a passport too to get inside the building. Well, good luck folks, I left my passport hidden at the hotel room. I don’t like to walk around with the only paper that gets me home. They would not accept a photocopy but insisted on the real deal. So we made this trip into the city to see the building for naught.

Judging by what we saw outside and around the Presidential Palace, I would not have been impressed much. Outside, at the side of the entrance, the tiles were coming lose, the window sills starting to rot, and the place did not look maintained or impressive. Stairs were chipped; loose concrete showed bad building practices.

I did get an impression of the ‘whole’ of the installation, Palace, Ministries other buildings surrounding the Palace, layout of parks, green spaces, fountains, etc. all of what I saw gave me the feeling that I don’t ever really need to see more.

All of this is not for me.

I found it hideous, even sick. It showed me a mind or mindset that needs to readjust itself to reality.

So, we walked around the avenues a bit, stopped for a cappuccino, chatted with a couple from Scotland and then had dinner at a Greek restaurant and took the bus back to the hotel.

Big Blocks of 'Living' Quarters Near The Palace

We are now packing our stuff away, tomorrow we will leave in our rental car, but we will leave our riding gear in 2 lockers the Hostel provided. Those lockers come in handy; we won’t have to schlep helmets, boots, heavy jacket, etc. with us in the small car we are renting. It saves space and we will have to come back here anyhow to 1) return the car and 2) to pick up our bikes in a week or so.

Frustration day

Frustration Day

For the last few days, I felt like I was running in a maze, trying to find my way out of it.

I did manage to find a taxi this Saturday morning but I had to tell the driver how to get to the BMW shop. He was trying to go the long way, guess he thought he could get me to pay more.

Once at the BMW shop, nobody knew I was there to pick up my bike. Romeo was not in on this Saturday and nobody knew anything about my bike. I found my bike parked way in the back, wet from the rains we had yesterday. Now I had to find the keys for the bike and then…..the bike would not start. No, not the battery, I have a brand new battery in this bike. So what is it?  The bike cranked but would not turn over; a short someplace because of the wet conditions? It was frustrating! Nobody around from the shop crew of course, I am on my own.

I turned off all the buttons that were on, that somehow had been turned on by someone. Heated grips on? That sure was not me who turned this on in 30 C. weather. I turned off all lights, put the bike in neutral and tried again. No, it would not start. Did I say it was frustrating?

The bike was standing all night way leaned over on the too short side stand, does that have anything to do with the not starting?  I am no mechanical expert; I can tighten a screw but that is about it. Now what? I looked at the bike and just stood there for a while, getting a bit steamed because for the last week we’ve had nothing but frustrating experiences with our bikes. It was not really the bike; it was more with the people we thought were in the service business. Yes, I know they have to make money and all, but I am used to being treated politely and nicely when I have problems. Here I felt pushed aside but needed because they need my money to stay in business. But really, they had no business sense.

OK, I looked over my bike one more time, all buttons are off; I even opened the gas tank to make sure there was gas inside and then, I pushed the starter and with a bit of hesitation, the bike started. Good!

But why did it not start before? I have no clue! I just got on the bike and rode it back to Hostel Taxi. Parking at the Hostel was at a premium, there was not a lot of room in the street because all the residential folks living around the Hostel use all the parking spaces. I parked my bike on the sidewalk, covered it up with a bike cover and hoped that tomorrow the bike would be there. There was no guard nearby; no fence. The bike was exposed to all kinds of damage. Not a good spot to keep a bike for 10 days. I have to think of something else. All this is frustrating, somehow nothing works as it could or should.

Meanwhile, Carol was in the room doing her thing. Unbeknownst to me she was taking a shower but I didn’t know that. I walked up to the room, tried the door, locked! I knocked, but nothing was going on. Mmmm. I walked around the building, looking for Carol thinking she is outside but could not find her. I walked up to the window of the room from the outside and called for Carol, no answer!  Is she OK? I walked up to the registration, asked if they have the key to the room but they just shook their heads, no! Now what?

I went back to the door and now I really KNOCKED!   This time loud and banging! I knocked with a sound and loud “Carol” call following my knocking. Finally I heard the lock being opened from the inside and I can get in to the room, take off my riding gear. What is going on? Her hair was wet, a towel draped around her, she had been in the shower, but she was crying; too much frustration, too much upheaval. While she was in the shower she heard me knock the first time, got out of the shower to open the door, but I had left already looking for her. She went back to the shower, the phone rang and it’s ADAC. Carol answered the phone and found out the registration we sent out was for my bike, not her’s. She went back to the shower and then I showed up ‘’again’’ now knocking like a wild man. This in and out; up and down; not knowing what was what; finding mistakes, etc. wears on ones nerves. I cannot blame Carol for crying, it’s a frustrating experience to be stranded without a bike, with help but no real help. I can only take so much of frustration before I lose it, too. My way of coping is to get mad at something.

Not sure if that is a good way, but after a week of trying to solve issue after issue, I felt frustrated. So in order to not do more damage with my behavior, I just vegged out, read a book and took long, slow, deep breaths.

Carol sent ADAC a new photo of the correct VIN# and we called it a day. It’s nice outside but we just read.♠

TGIF or is it ?

TGIF or is it maybe in a week from now?

So today I learned a few things about Romania.  Well, Bucharest anyway! It ain’t NYC. 

The most important thing on our minds today was to know what BMW could do with Carol’s bike.

It rained all day, we took it slow in the morning, giving Romeo time to get to work, for BMW to look at Carol’s bike and then for them to call us. So we called BMW at 11.30 AM and asked for Romeo.  No Answer! So we called ADAC in Germany and were transferred to ADAC Greece and they told us to wait a bit, they will call the BMW dealership in Romania and ask what is going on.

Outside I see the pouring rain, everything is soaking wet. It rained since last night already.

Finally at 4.30 PM Romeo calls and tells us we need a new wiring harness, a new alternator and a new regulator; (and a new battery, but he did not say that). Our bill will be about 2000 Euros and the work will take between 7 and 10 days. Could we please fax him a copy of the registration? Well, the answer to a fax was simple. NO!

We told him we can come over and he can make a copy at his office, to which he said, a photo of the registration via email would be OK, too. Whatever is best for us?

OK, Taxi would be best, because it’s only 10 minutes away and then I KNOW he has what he needs and we can see the bike, talk some more and see what else he can do to expedite our repair.

We tried calling 5 Taxi companies, we even asked the front desk at the hostel to help us get a taxi. No luck. Especially on rainy days, there is no taxi to be had. This is not

Uber and not NYC.

We can, however, take a picture of the registration and email the picture instead.  OK, we did that, we took a picture of the registration, attached it to an email and sent it. In the email we asked that he acknowledge the receipt and to please send us a written copy of his verbal repair estimate in return.

We know that ADAC asked him to send them a written estimate too, but when we heard from ADAC again, Romeo had not done any of this. 

Romeo, when he called with the estimate, also told me that he could do nothing to my bike. My bike still leans over way too much, always on the brink of falling over. Would I please pick up my bike tomorrow, they cannot store my bike in the BMW shop. What can I say? I know my bike leans over too much but they don’t have a solution (welding on a piece?) to fix it. I told Romeo I will be there in the morning to pick up my bike. 

The rest of the day we just hung out. The pouring rain gave us time to write notes, take inventory and think about other possible ways to spend the next 10 days in Romania.

We did not want to just vegetate at the Hostel Taxi, even though it’s an OK place to hang out.

So I asked the young man at the front desk of the hostel if he knows of a car rental place, or could he drive us to the nearby airport to get a rental car.

He said yes to all of the above but also mentioned that he has an acquaintance who leases out cars. With a few calls from his phone he arranged a 10 day lease for a Skoda diesel car, a bit aged but in good repair. His friend would bring it to the Taxi Hostel first thing Sunday morning. Is that OK?  Great, fine with me. We hired a car for the next 10 days, starting Sunday.

For today, Friday that is all we can do, tomorrow we’ll take the next step.